RE REPORTThere is not a lot to report this month. Everyone is getting ready for the new season.

SCCA national has initiated a Jumbo Region conference call with the first one scheduled for April 4th and two others to follow this year. This is something the Jumbo REs had asked Lisa for over a year ago.

I have reviewed the proposed contract with Dominion for a September PDX. There are a couple of issues which need clarification and I will also speak with them about their pricing model.

I’ve had a couple of contacts from Chris White. The first was to inquire if WDCR would be interested in assisting with the cost of a sign on the road at the entrance to the property, perhaps with us mentioned on it. The second is a solicitation to contribute, again, to the cost of ongoing safety improvements.

Met by conference call with the Member Services/PR group and had a good discussion on a number of items.

CLUB RACING REPORTClub Racing is working toward the season kick-off with the Spring Drivers School on March 18-19. Currently registration is lagging a bit behind last year’s pace, with 38 cars registered as of today (44 as of this date last year), although there is some evidence that there are still cars waiting to register (i.e. registration shows no Meathead Racing-supported cars on the registration list). Lack of open wheel cars is a serious concern, with only two registered for Drivers School.

Registration is open for MARRS 1 on April 8-9, with 56 cars registering in the first three days of registration opening.

Registration for the Majors (April 29-30) should be open the beginning of next week.

The Club Race Chair would like to formally request that the BoD consider a capital expense purchase that would improve radio communications at Summit Point by standardizing the radio set and bringing all radios on the network under Region control. Except for the chief of Emergency Services, ambulance, and fire truck, all other emergency services personnel currently operate using their own radios and headsets/mics. These radios and mics are of varying quality, and communications with these personnel can be problematic. In addition, communication with the ES Chief is spotty when he is inside his vehicle, particularly at the far end of the track (e.g. the carousel). The Club Race chair would like the BoD to consider the purchase of the following out of capital funds:

- 6 Motorola CP 200 radios with batteries- 6 lapel mics- 6 whip style antennae for Motorola CP 200 radios- 2 additional charging plates for Motorola radios- Radio base station to be mounted in Rescue 1- External antenna for base station on Rescue 1- Professional mounting of base station and antenna in Rescue 1Total cost of the above is expected to be about $2500.

MEMBER SERVICES / PR AND SPONSORSHIPSFour website development proposals under review. Anticipate a decision to award by Monday3/13/17 followed by presentation to RE and BoD for approval on 3/14/15. Currently collecting content for the website developers use including photos and video.

Program chairs have been contacted regarding suggestions for content and program specific requirements for the new website.

A videographer has been contacted to provide short 2-3 minute highlight videos for each of our programs for promotional and website use.

Agreement with racingjunk.com (rj.com) has been signed. They have been added to the list of regional sponsors and Heidi made the announcement via an email blast to all members. Michael Root is working with rj.com to establish the schedule of required press releases and coordinate with program chairs for display of rj.com advertising materials at their respective events.

Regional series sponsors - Tilton has stopped responding and we are not confident about his interest any longer. Bob Crawford is working with American Helicopter and has been trying to finalize the agreement which Paul Anderson is reviewing. Bob is also trying to reach out to another lead (Orndorff & Spaid) but haven't heard back on my messages. They were interested last year but we have yet to connect.

Bob is also following up on the draft sponsorship proposal provided to OG Racing.

An ongoing search for a Member Services Assistant has yielded no candidates as yet.

No response from invitation to Veronica Johnson (local TV personality) to attend one of our events.

Region sponsored simulator racing league (iRacing) will wrap up the 5-race series on 3/15/17

Final cost for league is $361 ($144 less than the approved budget amount of $505)

Possible 2nd season

Continued discussions of monthly regional meet-ups with guest speaker.

Continued discussions on increasing our presence at automotive-related events.

Proposal for region member karting event at Autobahn Speedway in MD rescheduled for 2017/18 off-season.

Motion to amend February minutes to remove reference to SportsCreative from Web Page Development motion. The other provisions of the motion remain unchanged. Eric Wallgren 2nd Lin Toland Passsed Unanimous

PDXPDX held their first event of the year this past weekend on the ever popular Summit Point circuit at SPMP. Saturday participants totaled 72 and Sunday 62, Instructors 33 and 27. Worker count was 24, including some of us who didn’t really do anything but take up a chair in the lunch room ...

During the week prior to the event, approximately 20% of registered entrants withdrew, primarily due to an anticipated weather event which did not materialize. Actual entry income by my estimate was still slightly ahead of budget for this event.

Next event will be an Instructor Clinic on April 1 and a one-day PDX/CT on April 2, on the Shenandoah circuit.

RALLY CROSSThere are 2 events this month a Test & Tune on Sat Mar 18th there are 43 entries thus far. The 1st Rally Cross of the year Sun Mar 19 with 43 entries. Both events at the Rally Farm in Catlett, VA. Information for both events can be found on the Regions Website.

ROAD RALLYThere are 2 events scheduled both in conjunction with MGs of Baltimore. The Annual Rally School is scheduled for Sat April 8th starting at the Carney Rod & Gun Club in Parkville, MD. The Annual Get The Dust Off Road Rallye will be held Sunday May 7th starting at Mariner Point Park in Joppa, MD.

SOLOWe were approached by the BRZ-FRS Club had asked us to assist them with an event. After discussion the decision was made to include them in one of our events looking at Aug event. A separate Registration Site has been set up and they will be mixed into our groups so we’re not dealing with a whole group of novice drivers and workers at one time.

We approached by a Veterans Group about a program National has been involved with where Veterans come out and run in one of our events. We will be doing it expecting 8-10 Vets in their cars looking at Apr 30th event for that.

Level One/Kart School almost sold out on Apr 1st

Level Two School sold out with waitlist on Apr 2nd. Looking at feasibility of adding 4 more cars to the school to clear the waitlist.

OLD BUSINESSBylaw committee discussion: Work on bylaws continues. First Pass through all the various changes has been completed and all that work is in the hands of Russ Gardner to mold into one set of By-Laws. He has been very busy and he is working on the changes trying to put them into common sense language. Hope to have them done by next phone conference. The RE reminded the BoD once the Proposed By-Laws were approved by the Committee he would forward them out to the BoD for their review prior to a formal Vote by the BoD.

Long Term Planning Committee: There has been an extended exchange of emails reviewing past proposals. I have asked for a Proposal for one of them from one of our members. 2 members have left the committee citing the start of the MARRS Season which will take a lot of their time. I am looking for at least 1 addition member.

WDCR SCCA

The Sports Car Club of America is one of the country's largest amateur and professional motor sports organizations. The Washington DC Region (WDCR) is 2,000+ members, drawing from the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.